Gramophone and like talking machine



Sept.- 15, 1925. 1,554,057

v R. G. WILLIS 5 GRAMOPHONE AND LIKE TALKING MACHINE Filed July 6, '1925 Patented Sept. 15, 1925,

UNITED STATES ROBERT GGR-DON V'ILLIS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

GRAMOPHONE AND LIKE TALKING MACHINE.

Application mea .my c, 1925.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, ROBERT GORDON WIL- Lrs, a subject of the King` of Great Britain, residing at 2 and 3 Newman Street, W. l, in the county of London7 Kingdom of England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Gramophones and Like Talking Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention refers to improvements in or relating to gramophones and like talking machines, and it has for its object to simplify their construction by providing, in combination there-with, an improved brake which is adapted to be actuated by the moving into position of the sound-box and needle by hand, the arrangement being such that the placing` of the needle on the record causes the motor to bestarted, whilst the turning up of the sound-box and the removal of theneedle from the record causes the motor to be stopped. The invention is distinguished from apparatus in which a sound-box is raised from the record and the motor is stopped by the operation of a crank handle or a slidable rod.

Thus, according to the present invention, I provide, in combination with a gramophone or like talking machine, brake mechanism adapted to be actuated to stop the motor and/or the turntable when the sound-box and needle are lifted directly by hand and from the record.

In order that the present invention may be clearly understood and more readily carried into effect, it is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a partly sectional side elevation of part of a gramophone illustrating the application thereto of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional elevation of the brake disc;

Figure 4 is an inverted plan view illustrating the method by which the sto-p member of the Bowden brake mechanism is secured to the base portion of the tone-arm, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged partly sectional det-ail view of the horizontal socket piece at the joint of the tone-arm connecting with the sound bo-X, illustrating the method of securing the pin or lug to the brake-actuating mechanism.

seriai no. 41,754.

extension t of the tone-arm b which is adapted to rotate in a horizontal socketpiece b2 at right angles to the axial line of the tone-arm proper Y). In this construction the inner end of the U-shaped tone-arm extension-piece ZJ is provided with an eccentrically disposed pin or lug` c to which the inner end of a brake-actuating mechanism or wire d is suitably connected, the said brake-actuating mechanism or wire ci conveniently passing down the tone-arm tinto and out of the amplifier' and below the top board f of the motor g, to a suitable springcontrolled brake member 7L. Conveniently the brake-actuating mechanism may comprise a suitable length of Bowden mechanism d, CZ, the inner and inextensible memmer d of which is connected at one end to the pin or lug c on the U-shaped tone-arm extension piece o', whilst the other end is connected to the aforesaid spring-controlled brakemember 7i, the outer member d of the Bowden mechanism being connected to suitable stops or abutments e, e within the tonearm I) and on the casing of the motorg, respectively.

At the brake end proper the brake member z, may conveniently be adapted to cooperate directly with a disc i provided in connection with the motor governor j, or, as shown, with a more or less resilient stop 7c on a spring washer or member 7c working in a circumferential groove in said disc z', whilst the who-le fitting at the motor end may be conveniently mounted on a bracket plate or member Z adapted to be suitably screwed or bolted on to the motor casing g. In some cases the brake may operate on the turntable as heretofore. The arrangement of the brake is such that when the sound-box o is lowered into a position where the needle engages the record m, the spring o of the brake mechanism will cause the withdrawal of the brake member Hh, thus permitting the governor 7 and the motor and turntable n to rotate. As soon7 however, as the soundbox is turned back into a position for inserting a. fresh needle the brake member 7L returns against the influence of its spring o and stops the motor and the gramophone turntable.

In the particular construetion illustrated in Figure the pin or lug c to which the end of the inextensible Bowden cable (Z connected, is secured to a` Cone or Wedge-shaped disc [i which is placed Within the inner portion ot the extension member be and held seeurely in place by means ot a sereuv Q which passes through the end disc ot a longitudinally split cup 7u, the arrangement being such that the tightening of the said serenity clauses the split cup 7 to be extended tightly against the inner circumference of the member Z2. Thus both the member fr and the conical discv p are held firmly in place and the wire Z passes out through slots s and .f provided in the extension member 7) and the socket b2, respectively.

ltwill thus be seen that by the present invention am enabled to'` provide an ezitremely neat and simplified arrangement wherein not only is the starting and stopping of the turntable effected by the positioning' of the needle on, and its removal Y 'from the record but Where-in the brake t'or gramophones, comprising a flexible Wire support having,y one end terminating at the base of the tone arm and extended therefrom through and beyond the amplifying horn to the moor mechanism, a brake arranged for cooperation with the motor mechanisni,y a flexible Wire leading from the brake. through said connection and oie-said sound beiY extension and having an eccentrie pin to receive one terminal of the flexible connection, a cap for closing the sound'bof; extension'and having aslotted lange to seat Within the open end of such extension, and a threaded pin mounted in the cap and having operative connection with the dise to draw the latter into the flange 'lor the spreading of the flange into rictional engagement With said extension to hold the disc against movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

ROBERT GORDON* WILLIS.A 

